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Nov 11, 2013

MicroTouch ONE Razor: Review

Disclosure: I was provided the MicroTouch ONE razor in exchange for this review, however all opinions expressed are completely my own.

I used to love spending time with
my grandfather. I would sit and listen as he raved about the different things
that he used to enjoy in his youth and yes he always used the classic line, "they don’t make them like they used to." While there is certainly room for debate on this subject, (i.e. I will take
a smartphone over a rotary phone any day), there is one item that has clearly
lost its quality over the years; the razor. The double edged, metal, safety
razors have been replaced by the plastic, multi-blade contraptions that we are
all accustomed to using. Personally, I tend to use razors as infrequently as possible because I always seem to get irritation and ingrown hairs due to my hair texture and sensitive skin. Also, they tend to be pretty expensive and because of this, it just seems more effective to take a trip to the barber once a week.

Recently however, as consumers have become
more knowledgeable, there has been somewhat of a shaving renaissance emerging
in the US. The shaving products and techniques that have been used historically seem to be making a comeback and The MicroTouch
ONE safety razor is one is one of these products.

Here’s the pitch that you’ll find on the
company’s website.

“MicroTouch
ONE is the modern version of the timeless classic safety razor. After years of
price increases from multi-blade razor manufacturers, MicroTouch, a consistent
top-three grooming brand in the country (Nielsen Report, Razor Trimmer
Appliances, 52 weeks ending 2012), brings you the most affordable and effective
razor option that professional Barbers still prefer today – the single blade
shave.

A substantial
and precision-crafted tool, MicroTouch ONE is made of solid brass and chrome
plated to a beautiful, polished shine. The ONE feels fabulous in your hand and,
most important, glides smoothly across your skin for the best shave of your
life. The ONE’s “butterfly” opening allows you to easily and safely clean the
blade, rinsing it free of shaving cream and whiskers after each shave. Your
blades last longer, and that saves you money.”

Informercial-ish spiel aside, this is a pretty cool razor. From
the moment I pulled it out of its travel case, I could tell that I was going
to have a shaving experience outside of the norm. Whether or not that was a
good or bad thing, I wasn’t sure of…yet. Ascetically, the MircoTouch’s chrome plated handle gives it a polished look that gives a manly feel to it, as if it were a true instrument or tool. The
weight of the metal in your hand is noticeably heavier than the plastic razors
that I’m used to. The double-edged razors are made by Dorco and are so thin that when I picked up one of the folded papers
that they are contained in, I actually thought it was empty because it was so
flexible. Furthermore, this probably goes without saying, but I'm going to mention it anyway: These razors are extremely sharp and can be dangerous. For their safety (and yours), please keep them away from small children.

When testing out the MicroTouch ONE for the first time, I
quickly realized that I had to completely change the way that I typically shave. While virtually little to no effort is needed with the current,
multi- blade models, there’s actually some technique required in order to garner
the desired shave with a safety razor. You have to tilt the razor at an
approximate 45 degree angle and take short, deliberate strokes over the area you’re
shaving. Also, be sure to use minimal
pressure, as the weight of the razor itself is enough to cut through your hair.
It didn’t take long for me to get the hang of it and I felt confident enough to
shape around my beard and mustache. When I wiped the excess lather off of my
face and looked in the mirror, I was quite impressed to see how clean my face
looked. Like I said before, I tend to stray away from razors in general because I always end up with ingrown hairs due to my hair texture and sensitive skin. However, since the publish date of this
post, I’ve used this razor 3 times and I have yet to get any razor bumps due to ingrown hair.

Overall, I really like the MicroTouch ONE razor. For $19.99
(plus $7.99 shipping and handling), you are getting comparatively more for your
money than you would with a cartridge shaver. This is my first safety razor and
I feel as though my shaving experience has been kicked up a few notches. I recommend it to anyone who is considering making the switch.

For more information, feel free to check out their site on: https://www.onerazor.com/